How to hang a heavy object above the mantel (fireplace)?

wonderzoozoo

Hi everyone! I need advice on how to hang a decor piece that’s pretty heavy above the fireplace mantle. The wall above is covered with drywall, I don’t think it has brick underneath, but not 100% sure, and of course I’m worried about puncturing the flue/chimney behind the drywall, I have no idea how deep it is... anyone have experience with this and any advice is appreciated. The object I’m hanging looks like a round mandala with cutouts and a small mirror in the center. Thank you in advance!!!

Local H Jay

Any chance you could hang it from the ceiling and just have it hang in front of the mantle?

Shadowfire

What kind of fireplace? If it's gas you probably have a mostly empty space back there. If it's brick, you're going to need some heavy duty anchors depending on how heavy this object is.

zepherin

I hung a monster tv over mind, grab a stud finder and see what you can find. If you find studs anchor into them, if not get toggle bolts they are amazing. Don’t use drywall anchors they are dog shit.

Toggle bolts are the light.

Shadowfire

Yeah, but if the wall is stone then he needs anchors. You're not putting toggles in that.

But yes, toggles are the way and the light. I won't hang a TV without at least one stud in there, but toggles make me feel a lot better about my hangs.

wonderzoozoo

Local H Jay wrote: »

Any chance you could hang it from the ceiling and just have it hang in front of the mantle?

With what type of hook? Isn’t ceiling also weak drywall?

wonderzoozoo

Shadowfire wrote: »

What kind of fireplace? If it's gas you probably have a mostly empty space back there. If it's brick, you're going to need some heavy duty anchors depending on how heavy this object is.

Gas fireplace. So there’s room for toggle bolts?

wonderzoozoo

No stone or studs in there 🤷🏼‍♀️

wonderzoozoo

It’s about 10-12lbs

Aioua

For 10 lbs, for something that's just going to hang there and not be interacted with (like, say, a bookshelf would)?

All you really need is like a nail+hook picture hanger.

Local H Jay

wonderzoozoo wrote: »

Local H Jay wrote: »

Any chance you could hang it from the ceiling and just have it hang in front of the mantle?

With what type of hook? Isn’t ceiling also weak drywall?

Ceilings have slats across them call Joists that can work for hanging items like this. You can find them using a stud finder and hang hooks from the ceiling (if that's easier than going into the fireplace itself)

Enc

There are also variants of these that are essentially glue based that can hold 10 pounds without difficulty if you cant break the drywall as well.

Ideally, though, you'll have some mirror wire and two hooks to distribute the weight of the art across two metal line hooks rated for the weight.

mts

honestly you can just get a couple drywall anchors and stick a screw in it to hang off of. 10lbs is nothing.
I know a bunch of anchors i have used are rated to like 80lbs

Xaquin

just get a cheap stud finder and screw or nail directly into the stud

Enc

Or, if that all is a bit intimidating, get some kind of plate-holder to mount it on to rest on the mantle itself.

mts

Honestly though a cheap stud finder is going to get confused by the fireplace parts in the wall.. And most likely stud spacing is going to vary to the main walls. Two shallow holes that barely go through dry wall. Stick two pop in anchors and never worry about it

wonderzoozoo

Thank you, I’ll be hanging it this weekend! I’ll probably go for the weight distribution advice, and put it two hooks. Hope it works. No studs in there unfortunately, it’s all shallow, already checked 🤷🏼‍♀️ The challenging thing is that it’s a lot of cutout so it’s hard to conceal hooks or wires other than on the original top center standard picture frame one attached to it. I’m in Cali with threats of earthquakes, so that was another concern as far as securing it to the wall.

zepherin

wonderzoozoo wrote: »

Thank you, I’ll be hanging it this weekend! I’ll probably go for the weight distribution advice, and put it two hooks. Hope it works. No studs in there unfortunately, it’s all shallow, already checked 🤷🏼‍♀️ The challenging thing is that it’s a lot of cutout so it’s hard to conceal hooks or wires other than on the original top center standard picture frame one attached to it. I’m in Cali with threats of earthquakes, so that was another concern as far as securing it to the wall.

Secure the hooks with toggle bolts. I'm telling you, it is a bit of a pain in the ass because they don't self tap, but they hold.

Something that looks like this, then get a couple toggle bolts.

Burtletoy

I'm not familiar with the toggle bolts, and I personally would probably use a dry wall anchor, but 10-20lbs isn't very heavy.

I'm not suggesting it, but I'm pretty sure that they make those removable 3m sticky pads + hooks things that are rated above that weight

Xaquin

zepherin wrote: »

wonderzoozoo wrote: »

Thank you, I’ll be hanging it this weekend! I’ll probably go for the weight distribution advice, and put it two hooks. Hope it works. No studs in there unfortunately, it’s all shallow, already checked 🤷🏼‍♀️ The challenging thing is that it’s a lot of cutout so it’s hard to conceal hooks or wires other than on the original top center standard picture frame one attached to it. I’m in Cali with threats of earthquakes, so that was another concern as far as securing it to the wall.

Secure the hooks with toggle bolts. I'm telling you, it is a bit of a pain in the ass because they don't self tap, but they hold.

Something that looks like this, then get a couple toggle bolts.

this is a great idea

HappylilElf

Burtletoy wrote: »

I'm not familiar with the toggle bolts, and I personally would probably use a dry wall anchor, but 10-20lbs isn't very heavy.

I'm not suggesting it, but I'm pretty sure that they make those removable 3m sticky pads + hooks things that are rated above that weight

I have an old ratty leather trench coat that weighs at the most 10 lbs and in realty probably closer to 5 lbs.

It eventually pulled down every single size of those 3M sticky hooks we tried.

I kind of suspect they rated them on perfectly flat surfaces rather than what walls actually tend to be.

wonderzoozoo

Thank you guys! Seems like the hook and nail at an angle shown in the first recommendation did the job just fine! I appreciate all your advice!!!

Burtletoy

Nail in dry wall without a stud is probably not any better than the 3m clip and maybe worse?

Aioua

nail picture hooks are fine in drywall

hanging a static art piece is literally what they're for

mts

HappylilElf wrote: »

Burtletoy wrote: »

I'm not familiar with the toggle bolts, and I personally would probably use a dry wall anchor, but 10-20lbs isn't very heavy.

I'm not suggesting it, but I'm pretty sure that they make those removable 3m sticky pads + hooks things that are rated above that weight

I have an old ratty leather trench coat that weighs at the most 10 lbs and in realty probably closer to 5 lbs.

It eventually pulled down every single size of those 3M sticky hooks we tried.

I kind of suspect they rated them on perfectly flat surfaces rather than what walls actually tend to be.

right but you are definitely not putting the same load onto the anchor point. you are dropping a 5lb load onto an anchor which is rated for static loads. you are potentially getting like 0.5 kN onto the anchor if you just drop your coat on a hook from 5 inches

wonderzoozoo

Aioua wrote: »

nail picture hooks are fine in drywall

hanging a static art piece is literally what they're for

And I used the biggest and thickest one there is ) I’m a girl so easiest option is best for me:) thanks again!!

HappylilElf

mts wrote: »

HappylilElf wrote: »

Burtletoy wrote: »

I'm not familiar with the toggle bolts, and I personally would probably use a dry wall anchor, but 10-20lbs isn't very heavy.

I'm not suggesting it, but I'm pretty sure that they make those removable 3m sticky pads + hooks things that are rated above that weight

I have an old ratty leather trench coat that weighs at the most 10 lbs and in realty probably closer to 5 lbs.

It eventually pulled down every single size of those 3M sticky hooks we tried.

I kind of suspect they rated them on perfectly flat surfaces rather than what walls actually tend to be.

right but you are definitely not putting the same load onto the anchor point. you are dropping a 5lb load onto an anchor which is rated for static loads. you are potentially getting like 0.5 kN onto the anchor if you just drop your coat on a hook from 5 inches

Oh no, I don't drop that coat on anything exactly because of that. Like I literally make a little loop at the neckline and then place it directly on the hook because it's snapped metal hooks before and there's nothing to get you to be more careful like surprise metal flying at your face from inches away.